Thursday, 22 December 2016

A Christmas road safety message from Mark Shaw

County Councillor Mark Shaw, Cabinet Member for Transportation in Buckinghamshire, has issued a Christmas message via Facebook:

"As we all wind down for Christmas and the bank holidays, I’d
like to take the opportunity to wish everyone a happy, safe end to 2016. I
expect many of you will be packing up your cars and heading off to be with
friends and family over the next few days. Whether you are making long journeys
or just going round the corner, check the forecast before you set off and bear
the gritters in mind! If you’re on Twitter, follow @TfBalerts to see the daily
gritting decision, usually released around lunchtime, which will help you gauge
whether you might be facing icy roads. That info will also be on the County
Council transport page, here - www.buckscc.gov.uk/transport/were-working-on-it/winter-maintenance/.

The most likely adverse weather we’re likely to see this
week, however, is high wind (and that’s not a reference to the sprouts). If we
do experience windy or stormy conditions in the next week, take extra care on
the roads and give high sided vehicles a wide berth. With high winds there is
also a risk of fallen trees on the road – please, please remember to phone in
to report these, don’t rely on TfB seeing any messages on Twitter or Facebook.
Despite the bank holiday, our teams will still be on duty and – as always – the
emergency contact number (01296 486630) will be monitored out-of-hours and on
the bank holiday Monday and Tuesday.

But all in all, we are hoping for a mild, ice-free Christmas.
While a snowy white Christmas day would have been lovely, the absence of any extreme
weather will mean our hardworking teams can spend Christmas at home with their
families, rather than in the depots or out on the roads in gritters and snow
ploughs. I’d like to thank everyone who has been working hard in the last few
weeks to keep the roads safe as the temperature has dropped.

Lastly, if you’re planning a bit of a knees-up, have a great
time! Drink responsibly and, in the words of the great Helen Mirren, ‘don’t be
a pillock’ – drink driving could cost you, at best, your licence and, at worst,
your life or that of someone else. Bear in mind that the morning after a good
night you may still be over the legal limit, so before driving home on Boxing Day
or New Year’s Day consider whether you really are safe to get behind the wheel.
Using the ‘Morning After App’ is a helpful gadget to estimate – and I emphasise
the ‘estimate’ there – how long it roughly takes for alcohol to leave your
system. Just take care out there, have a wonderful Christmas, and a happy and
safe new year."